grave's uncle; the whole covered with a canopy, which is decorated with an elegant and rich cornice. The ceiling of this room was painted for Lord Melcombe, by whom also the very costly chimney piece, representing, in white marble, the marriage of the Thames and Isis, was put up. The antichamber contains several good pictures, and some beautiful pieces of needle-work, being copies of paintings by the old masters, wrought in worsteds, by the Margravine herself, in which the spirit and character of the originals are admirably preserved. Under the cornice of this room hangs a deep border of point lace, with which the curtains are also decorated. The gallery, which is 30 feet high, 20 in width, and 82 in length, remains in the same state as left by Lord Melcombe, except that the marble pavement is removed, and the staircase, where the columns stood, in the room of the latter, is a chimney-piece. The ceiling of the gallery is of mosaic-work, ornamented with roses. Two new staircases of stone have been built, and a chapel has been made on the site of the old stair-case, the walls of which were painted with scripture subjects. In the hall, on the ground floor, are the following verses, written by Lord Melcombe, and placed under a bust of Comus :

While rosy wreaths the goblet deck,

Thus Comus spake, or seem'd to speak:
"This place, for social hours design'd,
May care and business never find.
Come every muse without restraint,
Let genius prompt, and fancy paint :
Let mirth and wit, with friendly strife,
Chase the dull gloom that saddens life:
True wit, that firm to virtue's cause,
Respects religion and the laws;
True mirth, that cheerfulness supplies,
To modest ears and decent eyes;
Let these indulge their liveliest sallies,
Both scorn the canker'd help of malice,
True to their country and their friend,
Both scorn to flatter or offend !"

Adjoining to the hall is a library, which opens into the conservatory; and, on the opposite side, is a writing-closet, where are some good cabinet pictures, particularly a fine head, by Fragonard.

Near the water-side is a small theatre, where the Mar

gravine occasionally entertained her friends with dramatic exhibitions, and sometimes gratified them by exerting her talents, both as a writer and performer, for their amusement. This theatre is connected with the dwellinghouse, by a conservatory of 150 feet in length. It is of a curvilinear form, and occupies the site of a colonnade. It is neat in its appearance, and though small, its visitors are comfortably accommodated.

BRASTEAD PLACE, between Sevenoaks and Westerham, in Kent, the elegant villa of Dr. Turton.

BRAY, a village in Berks, on the Thames, between Maidenhead and Windsor, is noted in a famous song, for its vicar, who, according to Fuller, changed his religion four times in the reigns of Henry VIII. and his three successors; keeping to one principle only, that of living and dying Vicar of Bray. The story is told with some variations, but the fact is not questioned.

Here is an hospital, founded in 1627, by William Goddard, Esq. for 40 poor persons, who are each allowed a house, and eight shillings a month. At Braywick, are the seats of Thomas Slack, Esq. Mr. Pepys, and Major Law. See Cannon Hall.

BRENTFORD, a market-town in Middlesex, seven miles from London, has its name from a brook, called the Brent, which rises in the parish of Hendon, and here flows into the Thames. In this town the freeholders of Middlesex assemble to choose their representatives. That part of the town called Old Brentford, is situated in the parish of Great Ealing, and is opposite Kew-Green. New Brentford is situated partly in the parish of Hanwell, and forms partly a parish of its own name, which contains not more than 200 acres. This town affords employment to numerous poor; having a flour mill, on the same construction of the late Albion Mills, erected at the sole expence of Messrs. R. W. Johnson, and Gould; an extensive pottery, belonging to Messrs. Turner; a considerable trade in brick and tile making; and a large malt distillery, the property of Messrs. Roberts and Co. The chapel of Brentford, which (the tower excepted) was rebuilt in 1764, is situated in the centre of the town, and is an appendage to the church of Great Ealing. It has two charity-schools; a market, which is kept on Tuesday, and two fairs for cattle and swine, on May 18 and September 13. Here, in 1016, King Edmund Ironside defeated the

Danes with great slaughter; and here, in 1642, Charles I. defeated some regiments of the Parliamentarians. For his services in this engagement, he created Patrick Ruthen (Earl of Forth in Scotland) an English Earl, by the title of Earl of Brentford. His majesty is building a palace opposite the worst part of Old Brentford. See Kew.

BRENTWOOD, a market town in Essex, on a fine eminence, on the road to Harwich, 18 miles from London, is a hamlet of the parish of Southweald, and has a chapel dedicated to St. Thomas à Becket. It is a place of considerable antiquity; as a Roman road passed hence towards Ongar, and the remains of an Estiva, or Summer Camp, are visible. The chapel is also very ancient; having been erected by David, Abbot of St. Osyth, in the 5th year of Henry III. The perquisites of the chaplain arose from travellers on the road, and such as came out of devo, tion to St. Thomas, to whom the chapel was dedicated; whence a gate upon the military way, from Ongar in this parish, is denominated Pilgrim's Hatch. Here is a grammar-school, founded by Sir Anthony Brown, by royal licence, 4 and 5 Phil. and Mary. Near this town is Warley Common, which commands a beautiful prospect, and is famous for its encampments in time of war.

BRICKLEY PLACE, the handsome seat and plantations of John Welles, Esq. at Bromley, in Kent, on the left hand of the road from London to Chislehurst.

BRITWELL HOUSE, near Burnham in Buckinghamshire, the seat of the late Lady Ravensworth, upon whose death it was purchased by Lord Grenville.

BROCKET HALL, the magnificent seat of Lord Melbourne, between Hatfield and Welwyn, in Herts, on the site of an ancient edifice, which once belonged to the family of Brocket. The mansion, begun by Sir Matthew Lamb, was completed by his son, the present proprietor, who made great improvements in the park, and rendered it one of the most elegantly picturesque in the kingdom. Mr. Paine was the architect, who likewise executed the beautiful bridge over the spacious sheet of water that enriches the enchanting scenery. In this seat are many paintings by the first masters, particularly a fine picture by Teniers, and Sir Joshua Reynolds' excellent painting of the Prince of Wales and his horse.

BROCKLEY HILL, a fine eminence between Edg

ware and Elstree. Here is a handsome seat of William Godfrey, Esq. the views from whose summer-house are extensive. In a handsome drawing-room are some large pictures fastened in the pannels, and said to have been part of King Charles's collections *. Near or upon these hills is said to have been a Roman town named Sulloniacæ.

BROMLEY, a market town in Kent, 94 miles from London, in the road to Tunbridge. The Bishop of Rochester has a palace near the town, where is a mineral spring, the water of which has been found to have the same qualities as that of Tunbridge. The palace is a brick house, and has the appearance from the road of a large homely mansion. King Edgar gave the manor, in the year 700, to the Bishop of Rochester; and here is also a college, erected by Dr. Warner, Bishop of that see, in the reign of Charles II. for 20 poor clergymen's widows, with an annual allowance of 207. and 50%. a year to the chaplain. This was the first endowment of the sort ever established in England. The munificence of the Rev. Mr. Hetherington, who left 2000l. to this college, and of Bishop Pearce, who left 5000l. to it, enabled the trustees to augment the allowance to the widows to 30%. per annum, and that of the chaplain to 601. Ten additional houses, handsomely endowed, for the same benevolent purpose, are just completed, in pursuance of the will of Mrs. Betenson, of Beckenham. Near the nine mile stone, to the right, on a fine commanding situation, is Clay Hill, the villa of George Glennie, Esq. See Brickley Place and Sundridge House.

BROMLEY, a village near Bow, in Middlesex, had once a Benedictine nunnery, founded in the reign of William the Conqueror. Its chapel is now the parish church. Lying at some little distance from the road gives it the air of retirement. New Grove House, the property of J. W. Adams, Esq. was the dwelling of the late Richard Daling, Esq. who dying March, 1805, left it to its present possessor, who has greatly improved it, and is still making farther

* Among these are a whole length of James I. a portrait, said to be that of the Spanish Ambassador, Gondamar; two boys by Minrillo. There is likewise a group of portraits of the family of William Sharp, Esq. who was the proprietor of this house; and among these is that of the late Rev. Dr. Gregory Sharpe.

improvements. It stands in what is usually termed the

Bow or Mile-end Road.

BROMPTON, a hamlet of Kensington, adjoining to Knightsbridge, remarkable for the salubrity of its air. Hale House, an ancient mansion here, commonly called Cromwell House, is said to have been the residence of Oliver Cromwell*. It is now the joint property of the Earl of Harrington and Sir Richard Worsley, Bart. who married the daughter of the late proprietor, Sir John Fleming, Bart.

The late Mr. William Curtis had a botanical garden near the Queen's Elm Turnpike, one mile and a half from Hyde Park Corner, on the Fulham road. Subscribers to this garden, at one guinea per annum, are entitled to the privilege of walking in it, inspecting the plants, perusing the books in the botanical library, and examining the extensive collections of drawings in Natural History, with liberty to introduce a friend. A subscription of two guineas entitles the subscriber to seeds, roots, &c. of a certain value, and gives him the privilege of introducing as many of his friends as he pleases. Non-subscribers are admitted on the payment of 2s. 6d. These advantages must be highly relished by the lovers of botany.

BROXBOURN, a small, but pleasant village in Hertfordshire, 15 miles from London, is charmingly situated on a rising ground, with meadows down to the river Lea; it is also watered by the New River, which passes near the church towards London. The church is a handsome structure, and contains many ancient and handsome monuments. This place formerly belonged to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem; there being between Broxbourn and Hoddeson, which is partly in this parish, a stream called Spital Stream.

BROXBOURNBURY, the seat and park of Mr. Bosanquet, is situated by the village of Broxbourn, near Hoddesdon, in Herts. The house is a noble structure, in the midst of the park; and at a small distance from it are offices, erected in a quadrangle, on the same plan with the Royal Mews at Charing Cross. They are placed behind a large plantation of trees, which circumstance in a great measure conceals them from public view.

It appears from Mr. Lysons's accurate statement, that there are no grounds for this tradition. Vol. III. page 182,